An eclectic collection

With its bold mix of genres and periods, juxtaposing Canton enamels with abstract paintings by Schneider and a Lalanne sheep with an 18th century commode, the collection to be sold at Drouot on 22 October by the Thierry de Maigret auction house is certainly eclectic. The variety and quality of the pieces make this a remarkable collection of some 200 lots, now coming onto the French market with a total estimate of €2 M. The collection mainly consists of enamels from Canton and Beijing, dominated by this Qianlong period perfume-burner in Famille Rose enamel, probably produced in the Beijing imperial workshops (€200,000/250,000). The pair of lions accompanying it dates from the late Yongzheng period or the beginning of the next reign: a completely new model, according to the auction house (€30,000). Then, echoing the radiant colours of the enamels, come compositions by lyrical abstraction masters, notably Gérard Ernest Schneider, represented by several paintings (including a 1959 work estimated at €60,000/80,000), but also Georges Mathieu ("Entéléchie carolingienne V", an oil on canvas of 1956: €80,000).

.Content - Number 40

FIAC 2014. Each year, the Paris fair creates a buzz. But satellite fringe fairs are distinctly worried by its desire to open out, with the arrival of outsider art. The FIAC, according to Jennifer Flay, IS "‘The only art fair in the world where 25% of galleries are French,’ It has become ‘a key event on the international scene, which casts a new and favourable light on young French creation in the world.’ She adds that ‘it is no longer easier for an American gallery to participate than for a German gallery.’ Though obviously, this does not prevent great names in American art from being there, like Gagosian who will be exhibiting stars of international sales like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons, Christopher Wool and Mark Grotjahn. Works by Murakami will be seen not only at Gagosian, but also at Perrotin. Sometimes records are set: Sol LeWitt will feature at the stands of nine galleries, including Yvon Lambert and Paula Cooper…

With its bold mix of genres and periods, juxtaposing Canton enamels with abstract paintings by Schneider and a Lalanne sheep with an 18th century commode, the collection to be sold at Drouot on 22 October by the Thierry de Maigret auction house is certainly eclectic. The variety and quality of the pieces make this a remarkable collection of some 200 lots, now coming onto the French market with a total estimate of €2 M.

In a programme confronting American design with the Scandinavian scene, the latter carried off a resounding victory, mainly due to the ceramist Axel Salto. The Dane totalled €540,922 in fifteen lots, posting a French record at €217,540 (source: Artnet) with the vase in the photo, which also took second place in his global performance. The estimate for the piece was no higher than €60,000.

This is a market with two facets. Firstly, the selective, speculative collectors' market; secondly, the consumer market. A lucrative business! Over the past few years, the watch has become a social marker: a visiting card exhibited proudly at the office, at a party or while trekking Tasmania's Overland Track. It positions a man just as much as a car…

The Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris has a decidedly dynamic acquisition policy; since 2007, it has added over 1,000 works by some 200 artists to its collections, including Otto Freundlich's "Composition". The Museum contains around 10,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, installations and videos. The historical part of the collection comes mainly from the founding bequest made to the museum by Dr Maurice Girardin...

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, theMaeght Foundation has brought together a plethora of masterworks from the 20th century to the present day, by artists including Matisse, Kelly, Bacon and Giacometti. This splendid exhibition sums up a unique history: that of a major family of gallery owners, whose passion for art led them in 1964 to open this magical place among the pinewoods of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, with architecture by Josep Lluís Sert…

Jean-Michel Othoniel's fountain sculptures, after maturing for months in the workshops of the master glassmakers of Basel and Venice, are finally moving to Versailles. Their installation is planned for this summer, but you will have to wait until the spring of 2015 to see them in situ in their natural setting. Jean-Michel Othoniel's three sculptures will take up their final residence at Versailles close to the Three Fountains Grove and a few hundred metres from the Latona Fountain…